Hamblin Ice Castles 2017

Yesterday, we went on an adventure here in Utah. It’s a family-fun tradition we do every Winter, the Ice Castles in Midway, Utah. It’s a whole lot of frozen fun. And it’s not just for families; we saw a bunch of couples on romantic dates, some were young and some young at heart. We also saw beautiful models taking THE most breathtaking photos in gorgeous gowns. (I wish I had a picture to post of this but my phone died so I couldn’t snap a pic, but, do yourself a favor and search #icecastle on IG and you will see what I’m talking about). The Ice Castles are for EVERYONE! Trust me, your new saying every year will be:

The Ice Castles are calling and I must go!

I or we, just go. You’re welcome.  😉

We have gone different times every year. This year, I feel like we finally figured out THE best time to go. We went on a Friday which is a busy day! Tickets go fast! There was only one time slot left to get tickets (which I highly recommend) because they fill up fast and only let a certain amount of walk ups in after that.

So, our tickets were for Friday, 4:00-4:30 pm. This means you can enter the Ice Castles any time between that timeframe and leave whenever you please, there’s no rush. Enjoy your frozen fun. We found this was a magical time to enter. Why?

1.  Little crowds

There was practically no one there! I was able to get some video footage (before my phone died) without any other guests of some of the special rooms. This has never happened in years past. There were short lines for the ice slides which our Little’s LOVE! And, there was practically no wait for the hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls – yay! Yeah… so, no pic on these yummy treats. We quickly devoured them! Oops. But you can trust me, they are delicious and hit the spot.

2.  Easy parking

It was almost an empty lot upon arrival – how stress free! In years past, it was always hard to find a parking spot in the dark and icy parking lot. As we were leaving, we were quickly reminded of this as the lot was getting busy.

3.  Not as cold during this earlier arrival time

The sun had not set so it wasn’t as cold. The Ice Castles have thought about accommodating all guests and making this experience more comfortable, so they do have a couple cozy outdoor fire pits set up for guests to warm up by. My parents really enjoyed this feature.

4.  Play first, then see the Frozen’s Elsa & Anna as you leave before the big crowds arrive

As we left, we saw Elsa and Anna at the entrance for picture opportunities. It was a bit of “Disney magic” and impeccable timing. After our picture, the lines got quite long for pictures and to enter the Ice Castles. Yikes. We played in the Ice Castles for about an hour and a half and then exited so we could see Anna and Elsa. Gunnar was VERY EAGER to see his future wife, Anna, and give her his chocolate he brought her. At Disneyland, he had a long conversation with her about how he was going to marry her. So, he was very persistent about the 5:00 pm timeline, of when the ladies were scheduled to arrive for pictures just outside of the entrance to the Ice Castles. You should plan this experience out though, because once you leave the Ice Castles you cannot enter again and the picture oppportunity with Elsa & Anna is outside, so plan accordingly.

Everyone going should dress warm. Think snow clothes warm. We literally wear our snowboarding pants, gloves, jackets, and snow boots every year. There are some slides that we want to go on but even if you don’t, you will want that type of clothing on for the warmth. We love the snow and all things Winter.

"Winter's a good time to stay in and cuddle..." - Olaf

“Winter’s a good time to stay in and cuddle…”
– Olaf

If you’re not a fan of cold, for one day or night, take on the mantra of Elsa, “The cold never bothered me anyway!” Layer UP in clothing and utilize their fire pits when you need to, because you need to experience this beauty!

 

IMG_4604 amblin Ice Castle Adventure

You can purchase your photo opportunity with Anna & Elsa as well as your picture when you enter the Ice Castle. The first picture is $25 and every picture thereafter is $15. We ended up getting the family one for my parents and both kids got their picture with their fav, Gun with his love, Anna, and Coral with Queen Elsa. It was a must to purchase those magical and timeless moments.

Thank you Ice Castles for another magical and memorable adventure, we’ll see you next year!

swirls_top

Here’s a link to the Midway Ice Castles, I HIGHLY recommend you get your tickets before you go, like we did.

Enjoy!

swirls_bottom

*My family received complimentary tickets to the Midway Ice Castles. The opinions stated here are my own.